The Void King
by Mae Bleu
Summary: Shu chose to die with Inori, for better or worse. After an undeterminable amount of time in limbo, he finds himself spat back into a new 'life' in Soul Society. This afterlife is nothing like he expected...but he's not too worried. He is nothing the afterlife expected, either. AU
1. Zero

**AN:** _Aaaagghh... I told myself I wouldn't but I did. I had to do it. I couldn't keep it inside any longer. _

_I've been having a lot of __fan fiction plot bunnies lately...and I've actually put some of them into words, which is weird for me...And this one, of bloody hells this one...this crossover has been bouncing around my head for ages. I've imagined it in a few different ways, and it really still isn't solid in my head at all, which is why I've refrained from posting anything, because I don't want to post it and then just leave it hanging because I have no idea what to do with it and..._

_Yeah. I'm just gonna...put this here. Tell me what you think, and maybe that will help me keep it going. Chapters will be pretty short, mostly because I find snap-shots so much easier to get out than long chapters._

_There really aren't nearly enough crossovers for GC. It makes me sad. Another factor that forced me to post this. (And also as proof that I'm not just sitting idly while GM doesn't get updated. My creative bursts are sporadic at best people...)_

_I Do Not Own the Things you See Here...Except I did Type this, so it's Kind of Mine...Except the Characters and such Aren't...You Know what I Mean._

**The Void King**

**Zero**

With a heavy heart, Shu made his choice. He felt no hesitation, no regret in his actions, and calmly proceeded with what would appear to most as a joint suicide. In fact, he felt oddly…at peace. The resolve he felt to carry out this final action had brought everything into a striking, profound kind of clarity. This was what he had to do. His last farewell, his repentance for all the harm he had caused in his ignorance and foolishness. A single, immeasurable gift to the world that only he could grant.

The Apocalypse Virus would vanish, and along with it, it's fated harbingers, Adam and Eve.

He wasn't scared at all.

Shu felt the Voids as they came to him, both familiar and unfamiliar, the metaphysical 'hearts' of every infected child in the world. It was like all those people stood with him. Through them, he felt the pain, joys, and sorrows of what seemed to be the entirety of humanity. It was awing, beautiful, and made him want to cry…but he didn't. Couldn't. Wasn't even sure he was capable anymore.

Inori was in in his arms, close enough that she seemed almost to be one with him as the virus crystals crawled up their embracing forms, encasing them. A crystal statue. Perhaps it would be crushed when the GHQ base crumbled around them, or maybe it would stand for the rest of eternity. A sentinel. A reminder to the people of what they had suffered and survived. A memorial for those that hadn't.

Shu closed his eyes as his face was consumed, and darkness overtook him. Calm. Ready.

Then he found himself opening them again. Staring into the white emptiness and surrounded by the whirling strands of power and DNA and who really knew what? It was a place he recognized, nothing more than an illusion really, but one he shared with Inori. She was there, floating before him, looking healthy and whole like she'd never been broken and possessed by the insane remnants of Mana and the virus.

She smiled at him. Offered a cat's cradle, the guilty crown, blood red and glowing.

"Take it."

Without thinking, he reached for it. Didn't entirely understand the impulse to do so. His fingers brushed hers as he stared into her eyes. Then he stopped. Reached past her outstretched hands and grasped her shoulders, pulling her to him, into the circle of swirling strands as if in some hope they might bind her to him so she could never leave.

"Shu?" She gasped, quietly.

"Please, Inori, don't leave me." Because that's what she meant to do, he could tell. She hoped to give up what remained of her life to save his. "I won't let you die alone. I can't. So please…"

"Shu…" She shifted, tried to get him to look at her, but he only tightened his grip. "You have to live Shu, for me, for your friends, for Gai and Mana…"

"If anyone deserves a second chance it's you, Inori." Shu argued. "I know the other's are waiting for me…but this is my choice. It's selfish, I know, but I finally feel like I've done what I was meant to. That despite everything, this is the right thing. The virus is gone, the Voids are all right here with me, and with you…I'm complete."

There had always been something missing. Some integral part of Shu's being had been absent from the majority of his life, whether it be his memories, his true calling, or a loved one… But now he was finished. His memories were painful, but complete. His loved ones were dead and at peace or alive and safe now from the virus that he had eliminated at the cost of his body. Maybe he hadn't managed to be the Adam that Daath had wanted, bringing about a new age…but he had created his own miracle, and instead cleansed the world of the Apocalypse.

And now…he was ready.

"Let's go, Inori, together…to whatever end awaits us."

He didn't know what exactly she saw that convinced her: his resolve, his peace, his love. But she nodded. Smiled again, beautiful and sweet and on the edge of tears.

"Together."

**AN:**

_Yeah. That's the prologue. I got the next two chapters (they aren't very long, remember) already typed, but I'll wait a bit for feedback before posting them. I need time to write more after all._

_In other news, I got two pounds of Skittles for my birthday. That's nice. I swear, my family is convinced I'm going to starve or something now that they can't watch me eat. They keep sending me food. Though honestly, living outside 'the nest' doesn't feel much different than living in it._

_I'm pretty sure I will never truly be an adult. My stash of candy and obsession with video games proves this._

_Do you like Hurts? I've been listening to them a lot lately. So sad, so beautiful, so many feels that my soulless self does not comprehend...Read, review, that stuff..._

_MB_


	2. One

**AN:** _I was going to wait longer before putting this up. Then I thought, "I'm probably about to go and fail an exam. That's not a nice feeling. I'll probably drown myself in muffins and despair afterwards. I should upload something while I feel somewhat charitable."_

_And then this happened._

_I Own Not But the Plot. That Pretty Plotty Thing that Plots like a Plotter on a Plottable Day Likes to Plot Plot Plut._

**The Void King**

**One**

Eternity is a long time to ponder, especially when one's concept of time is skewed, as Shu's became after what felt like many years in some form of limbo. He did a lot of thinking when he rose from the blankness long enough to do so, about pretty much everything and nothing. About his mistakes and his triumphs, his friends and his family, his powers, Voids, colors, food, the sky, birds, weapons, music…it went on.

The feeling of peace and completeness did not fade. He would not necessarily say he enjoyed the time in limbo so much as he was…content. Like nothing mattered and he was okay with that. He was never hungry or tired or sad or angry. Not even when thinking about some the awful things that occurred in his past. He was never lonely, because through it all Inori's presence persisted, warm and lovely and comforting, and the hundreds and thousands of Voids with their fragments of personality granted him company.

So time passed. Or maybe it didn't. Or maybe it moved backwards. He couldn't know, and he didn't much care either. Nothing changed and that was just fine.

But then it did. It was sudden, and abrupt. Suddenly the blankness of limbo was gone, and Shu _existed_ again. As if some deity finally got around to finding a place for him, this anomaly containing the fragments of so many people within him, and shoved him from the peaceful in-between to what could only be…the afterlife.

The first thing Shu noticed was that he was alone…yet not. Inori was not with him…physically, anyway. He could feel her presence within him, at the head of the army of Voids, all calm and quiet as they normally were, generating her usual comforting aura.

'_Shu? Are you awake?' _Her voice resounded in his mind, smoothing out his initial confusion at the sudden change of atmosphere.

'_Yeah…I guess.'_ He responded, only with his thoughts. He felt…odd. He had a body. Or something like it. It had a different feel somehow. A different kind of energy. He shifted each of his limbs, simultaneously awed and puzzled. Over all it still worked like a normal body. He felt leaves beneath his fingers, rough cloth brushing his skin, a breeze pushing his hair around. _'Where am I?'_

'_I don't know._' Inori said, in a soft, quizzical tone._ 'Where do people go when they die?'_

'_Good question. I have no idea. This place…there's something unique about it, but it doesn't feel any different than being alive.'_

'_Why are you…there while I am…here?'_

'_Again, Inori: I don't know. I won't pretend to understand how these things work…but…maybe it has something to do with Voids? They are kind of like the manifestation of someone's soul after all…and it did take a while for us to end up here, so maybe that messed up the usual process or something.'_

'_Hmm…Okay then.' _She accepted that. Changed subjects._ 'Well take a look around and see what kind of place it is.'_

So he did…or tried to. He realized, for the first time, that his eyes were already open. There was only blackness. He blinked, over and over, and the blackness didn't fade into light.

'_Oh…oh, I'm sorry, Shu.'_ Inori's voice was remorseful, and he could feel her guilt. _'I…You've absorbed my blindness.'_

Well…that explained that.

'_It's all right, Inori. I can do without.'_ He hastened to reassure her, not wanting her to be upset over something that was ultimately his own fault. She calmed somewhat, but remained sullen in the recesses of his mind.

With his new handicap recognized, Shu stood slowly, using the tree he'd apparently been leaning against as a guide. Maybe there was a branch nearby he could use as a walking stick. He spent a few minutes looking, brushing his feet around in arcs and seeing if he hit something, and going from tree to tree and feeling for low branches.

In the process, he realized he still had his right arm, made entirely of black crystal to replace the flesh he had lost. It made some degree of sense, he decided. His arm was his own Void, the King's Heart, with the ability to absorb things, and it was only with its power that he contained all of the Voids of humanity within him. As he felt their presence now, then of course it would still be there. It was possible it wasn't even capable of deactivating anymore, and was simply apart of his body now…or soul body, as it were. And if the Void remained, his two Power of the King undoubtedly remained as well.

_Even in death…my crown still follows me._ That was almost funny, on some level.

He did eventually find a stick. A nice straight one that was pretty sturdy, and not too short to be held comfortably at about waist height. Now with something to assure he wouldn't run headlong into a tree, Shu started a casual, leisurely walk through the forest. Just picked a direction and off he went, letting his most basic instincts guide him. He'd only been blind for a few minutes now, and already the teen was feeling his other senses reaching in to take up the slack left behind. As he walked, his eyes open and staring forward out of habit, he listened carefully to everything around him.

Birds, breeze, foliage shuffling around, the occasional chitter of a squirrel or chipmunk… It was rather peaceful. There was a chill in the air that made him think it was somewhere in late autumn, and the brush of fresh leaves across his path supported this. He wasn't dressed for it, he realized, exploring his clothing absently with his free hand. He was wearing a kimono, of all things. He didn't know what color it was, but the cloth felt nothing like the kind of finer make he felt in life, or even the kimono-esque things Haruka had sometimes worn.

_I'll probably freeze to death once night comes…_ What a ponderous concept. Dying in death. Having died once, death no longer scared Shu, but it would really be a shame to fade so soon, before he was able to explore this new plain of existence some. Leaving limbo after so long, he was really starting to feel those pulls and urges he'd long since forgotten about. The need for adventure, entertainment, experience…something new.

'_Shu, do you sense that?'_

Hm? Oh. _'People? They have…kind of an aura to them. How interesting.'_

There was a group of intelligent souls—he'd call them that, since that's what they were as far as he could tell—less than a mile away. Shu adjusted his course, and approached them at about the same pace.

'_Do you think they'll be…nice?'_ Inori asked, both curious, and concerned. Shu shrugged, mentally.

'_Maybe. Maybe not. I imagine any afterlife would be similar to previous life—there are both good people and things, and bad. At the very least, I hope they won't be hostile.'_

Even that, it seemed, was too much to hope for. Shu found himself stumbling into what appeared to be, by the exclamations and arguments of several rough voices, a bandit's camp.

As he approached, he was able to differentiate between souls, and by the time he stepped from the trees he could almost literally _see_ the individual forms of each bandit. Their general shape and location was all visible to him in this new, formless kind of vision, if not their features or clothing. He counted sixteen of them total.

"Oi, who are you?" One of them noticed him eventually, seeing as they were apparently fawning over the contents of a merchant wagon they had raided and made off with. Just listening to their loud conversation as he approached told Shu how out of date he was.

Wagons? Kimonos? Bandits in the woods? The afterlife was some hundred years behind the living world. Or maybe limbo hadn't bothered to spit him out in a time relative the one he'd died in. Or…maybe this was some other dimension entirely. He'd encountered weirder, after all.

This just got more and more interesting.

"Hey, freak, I'm talking to you!" One of the bandits approached him. He heard the scrape of steel, and knew the man had bared a blade threateningly. More amused than anything else, but not wanting them to know that, Shu put on his best confused look.

"I'm sorry, did I disturb you? I seem to have gotten kind of lost…Could you tell me where I am?"

There was a moment of baffled silence. "Lost? Seriously? Are you new to Soul Society, kid, or just Inuzuri?"

He tilted his head, curious about these new terms. He could guess Soul Society was what they called this particular dimension of the afterlife, but what was this other thing? "'Inuzuri'?"

He heard the bandit scoff. "Of course you're new. Well, rejoice kid, you won't have to face the Rukongai's worst District…'cause you'll be dying right here." The bandit made a movement that Shu 'saw' in through his senses, and the other bandits surrounded him, drawing blades to discourage any attempt at escaping through them. "Nothing personal."

Shu smiled, calm. "Indeed, Bandit-san. Nothing personal."

Without even thinking about it, a Void materialized in his crystal hand. It was Yahiro's, which he found rather fitting.

Excitement. Oh, how he'd missed it.

**AN:**

_Blurb._

_Read, Review, Regret. Is emotional suicide really a thing? Does it hurt? Will the emotions resuscitate indefinitely or what?_

_MB_


	3. Two

_**AN:** __Blurb. May as well throw this up since I'm not busy but will be tomorrow. Y'know._

_I would like to point out now that Shu's morals may have stretched a bit to fit my preferences for this fic, which can be explained in the story by the fact that he has spent an indefinite amount of time in limbo and so was able to think over and accept many a thing. Just FYI_

_I Doth Not Own Those Things There. And There. That, Too. And That-but Oh! That Thing, Right There, no not _That_ Thing..._THAT_ One._ THAT_ Is Mine._

**The Void King**

**Two**

Shu didn't kill all the bandits immediately. He killed all but one in a few minutes, taking his time with them so he could get re-accustomed to the power of Voids flowing through him and the adrenaline of a fight. The bandits weren't worthy adversaries in the slightest, but they brought him some amount of enjoyment, reminding him what it meant to be alive—as backwards as that phrase was in this place—and even gave him some much needed information and supplies.

From the remaining bandit, mildly wounded and terrified out of his wits, he politely demanded all information about 'Soul Society' the man knew.

He never made any promises. The man simply assumed he was offering his life in exchange for information, but he wasn't. How many innocent, defenseless people had this bandit probably hurt and killed? He'd heard the way they all guffawed at the way the merchant they'd stolen from had begged for his life after they'd robbed him, but they hadn't paid him any heed. Mocked him before killing him. People like these bandits were everywhere, and they disgusted Shu. If he let the bandit live, he'd thank him profusely, run off, and come back with some angry mob or something trying to kill Shu, thinking numbers would help him even when they clearly hadn't here.

But he didn't say this until the bandit had finished spilling his guts. He asked to make sure that he'd said everything, asked a few more cursory questions about the little bandit base—how far from town was it? Who else knew where it was? What kind of supplies did it contain?—before the massive Shears in his hand sliced into his heart, killing instantly. Shu was brutal to those who he believed earned it, but not cruel. He wouldn't let the bandit suffer more.

He also believed in respecting the dead. So he took the time to clean up the bodies, using his various Voids to assist getting sixteen bodies into a massive grave quickly. Amongst his army of Voids, he actually did find a shovel of sorts that cleaved massive trenches into the earth with one jab, which helped immensely. He made sure the grave was a good distance from the former bandit base, mostly because having dead bodies buried in his backyard sounded too much like a horror novel for him to be comfortable with it.

Once that was taken care of, he explored the old style Japanese home the bandit had claimed they'd found squirreled away in this forest clearing some time ago. It wasn't in prime condition, it's age showed in the wear of the wood and the holes in the tatami mats, but it was functional. The bandits had stored many things here, from weapons to bedding, though much of it was sub par quality. The bandit had given Shu a pretty in depth description of Inuzuri, the seventy-eighth District in South Rukongai. It was poor, down trodden, and crime infested in the nicest of terms. The number of a District played a large part in how good or bad the living conditions were. The lower numbered Districts were closer to capital, Seireitei, and were better supplied and monitored for crime. On the other hand, almost no one in a District above fifty-nine even wore shoes.

So taking that all into the equation, the amount of things the bandits had managed to gather here was actually pretty impressive. The two chests the bandits had just recently stolen from the merchant were something they'd had to leave the District to get their hands on, and Shu was rather pleased to find that much of it was clothing. Still way more old fashioned than he'd ever worn before, but _decent_ clothing. And sandals. He would have preferred sneakers, but not walking around barefoot was enough to satisfy him.

'_Not that one, Shu. The color's wrong.'_ Inori chided him when he picked up a random kimono from the pile of those deemed to be for men. Somehow, while he'd been interrogating the bandit, Inori had figured out that while Shu was now blind, she could still see what was happening around him if she wished to. From the way she described it, she was almost floating over his shoulder like a personal third-person narrator. While Shu could manage moving around without help, a little assistance in identifying certain objects and colors of cloth was definitely useful.

'_Wrong? How so?'_

'_It clashes too much…' _She paused a moment, considering._ 'You know your hair is white now? Like Gai's was.'_

His eyebrows lifted, surprised. _'Really? I must look like an albino, huh?'_

'_Your eyes look more red than before, too. I kind of like it.'_

'_Well, thank you for your consideration.' _He chuckled a bit, and said aloud, to both himself and his phantom love. "So, which one will it be then?"

In the end, he was happy with what he wore. It was nicer, and more importantly warmer. A simple red kimono with a spiraling design of thorns in black with a white obi, covered by a black haori that Shu instantly loved because of it's thickness and how it reminded him of wearing the Undertaker uniform in life. He also found some new sandals that fit him comfortably.

Considering how poor Inuzuri was, he was aware that anything remotely nice would make him stand out, but if he was already albino, then he didn't think it'd matter much. Speaking of standing out, he realized that his crystal arm would undoubtedly raise awkward questions if anyone got close enough to see it properly. It hadn't even occurred to him just how conspicuous it was until Inori pointed it out while he struggled with tying his obi, something he'd had no practice or skill at even when he could see. She had then offered a very simple solution: wrap it in bandages, and if anyone asks, say it was horribly scarred by fire when he was young. People would be unlikely to ask more, or try and touch it and thereby possibly notice that it was far harder than flesh should be. Shu decided to take the ruse a step further, and decided if and when he was around people he would let his arm drape limply beneath his haori, pretending it was too damaged to be functional. Then, even people who didn't initially realize he was blind would think him lame, and therefore underestimate the threat he posed.

He would, eventually, have to leave the isolated house. The bandit explained the basics of reiatsu, the energy Shu had been sensing, and how souls with little of it didn't feel the need to eat. The bandit troupe all had slightly more than most average Inuzuri residents, so a good chunk of what they stole was food. Shu knew he would need to eat. He felt hungry now, actually. It wasn't surprising, since even if he hadn't been strong spiritually in the past, he now contained the remnants of thousands of souls, and by extension their reiatsu was added to his. He didn't have much experience with the wielders of this power, so he didn't have any idea how his might compare, but he could safely assume he was stronger than most citizens of Rukongai.

_For one person…I have enough food for a few weeks at least… _Shu mentally listed the supplies as he discovered them, sometimes with Inori identifying what exactly he was touching. This was a world without cans and plastic packaging, so most of it would only be edible for so long.

'_You don't need to stay here, Shu.' _Inori reminded him. _'Move on when the food runs out. Explore the other Districts.'_

'_That's a good idea. Maybe I'll find some of these 'Hollows' Bandit-san mentioned.'_ Yes, he was very curious about these soul-eating monsters, and the ones who hunted them.

He wondered what the Shinigami, self-proclaimed keepers of peace, would think of him. A vessel, a King of Voids. Would they fear him? Try and destroy him? Would they even understand what he was?

He rather doubted it.

**AN:**

_I stole NINE muffins today. That's a new record._

_My Minion thinks I may have a problem. Something about pack rats. I'm not sure I see where he's coming from._

_Read, Review, Retreat, hey you wanna muffin? They're __mocha chocolate chip. Yum._

_MB_


	4. Three

_**AN: **Fweeee...I feel pretty nice right now._

_Hey, whaddya like on your waffles? I like nutella and whip cream. Sugar Bomb!_

_I Do Not Own The Obvious Things That I Do Not Own. Like That One. And That One...And Possibly That One._

**The Void King**

**Three**

After a week in the Forest House, Shu grew tired of the various piles of junk and general lack of organization in the former bandit hideout. Even the assurance he wouldn't be here for very long wasn't enough to make him ignore his dissatisfaction with the neatness of the place. In the end, he spent an entire day cleaning and rearranging things to suit his tastes, dumping the useless or too-filthy-to-save things out the back. Out of sight, out of mind.

At the end of the day he was tired and filthy himself. As he bathed in the icy stream a few minutes walk from the house, it occurred to him that he would have to do laundry at some point if he wanted to keep wearing clean clothing. The idea of smelling like the bandits had—weeks unwashed and in the same drab set of cloth—disgusted him.

'_I'm really missing modern technology.' _Shu sighed to himself, after drying off and putting on a still unused kimono. _'Like washing machines and indoor plumbing.'_

Inori laughed gently in his mind, amused and sympathetic at his plight. Her company, ghostly as it was, was a balm for Shu in every possible way. Without her, he was sure he'd have already found a reason to grow depressed and despondent. Not to mention lonely.

'_Maybe you should go for a walk, Shu.'_ His love suggested, her smile still in her voice. _'You've been spending too much time inside.'_

Shu ran his flesh hand through his damp hair, swishing his walking stick through the leaves piled on either side of the little dirt path. It was evening time, and he could feel the cold beginning to creep out from the lengthening shadows. The residential area of Inuzuri was supposed to be beyond a hill, to the West. Maybe he could go and find a place to watch the sunset… 'watch' being a relative term, of course.

'_Mmm…Sure. Tell me if we get to a good spot to see the sunset.'_

So he walked. It was nice. Peaceful. Having lived in a modern, metal and glass city for so long, Shu was finding he really enjoyed being surrounded by nature. It reminded him of his childhood, living with his family on the coast. The only thing missing was the ocean and beaches.

He walked for a while. His previous exhaustion forgotten in the methodical, repetitive movement. Miles disappeared behind him, and he barely noticed when he started to ascend the incline of a hill.

He did notice when a small reiatsu entered his radar. By the way Inori ceased her absent humming in the back of his mind, she did as well. It appeared to be located in the same direction they were heading, but he hadn't thought they'd reach the town for a few more miles at least. He wasn't alarmed though, and kept walking.

It was only one presence. Rather small, as well. He was almost on top of it when he felt the ground level out.

'_Oh…the view is nice, Shu.' _Inori breathed softly, apparently impressed._ 'There is a cliff, and buildings far below. I feel the souls, faintly. So many of them.'_

'_So do I.' _He paused, frowning a bit. _'Do I hear…crying?'_

He did. The reiatsu he felt solidified in his 'vision' as he approached, small and huddled at the edge of the cliff. Assuming someone so small and obviously distressed wasn't a threat, he moved closer without concern. The person, female he guessed by the muffled sobs, heard his soft steps and stiffened, turning quickly.

"W-who are you?" Asked a young, nervous voice, rough from crying. "What do you want?"

He paused his step, as not to frighten the girl. "Just to sit somewhere above the horizon. That's all." Gave her a small smile. "I heard your crying. Are you all right, miss?"

"I-I'm fine." Clearly not, but he wouldn't push her. Just nodded once.

"Then do you mind if I join you?"

"Um…no." She shuffled around, her form hunched in his limited sight. "I-I can go…"

"Oh, please don't. You were here first, after all." Since she had calmed slightly, and didn't seem to think him a threat, he moved forward once more. Carefully, swished his walking stick through the grass to determine just where the cliff edge was and how far from it he should sit. As he folded and sat cross-legged, he heard the girl make a soft, startled sound in her throat.

"Y…you're blind…"

He tilted his red, sightless gaze towards her, still smiling. "Yes, I am. Funny how I forget sometimes. I've gotten rather used to it."

"Were you…always blind?"

"Mm…no. It happened when I died. In life, I had relatively good eyesight."

"Oh…I…I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I won't pretend sight isn't an important thing, but I've been doing fine without it." He also had Inori, for sight essential activities. "That being said…would you do a blind man a favor, and describe the sunset to me? It will help me remember and imagine it myself."

She hesitated a moment. "…Okay." And she did. Shu liked the girl's voice. Like Inori's it was soft and gentle, even and innocent. There was a thoughtfulness as she spoke to him, growing more focused upon the sunset than her previous sorrow and intently trying to come up with more words to try and capture the entirety of the atmosphere. He imagined explaining colors to someone who cannot see would be even harder were he not once able to see as she did.

When her voice finally trailed off, having detailed as much as she clearly thought possible, he smiled at her again, wider. "Thank you. That was very well done."

"You're welcome…a-and thank you."

"For what?"

"Making me feel…better." There was gratitude in her voice, but also a great sadness. "I was really…falling apart for a bit there. Thank you for giving me strength."

"Ah…You're welcome then. Of course, now I wonder what made you so upset in the first place? If you don't mind my asking."

'_Shu…there's something in her arms. She's been hiding it against her chest._' Inori spoke quietly, a kind of cautious curiosity in her tone. _'…It's moving.'_

"I…" The girl hesitated. From the way her voice cracked, he could imagine her face crumpling into sorrow. "It's…my sister."

And then Shu noticed what he hadn't before. Another reiatsu signature, so small and so similar to the girls, that he had assumed it to be part of hers. In his 'vision', the girl's form straightened, and there was another, tiny body sitting in her arms, cradled against her body.

"My blood sister. We died together, and came here together. But…I can't take care of her." The girl's voice shook, threatening tears again. "I tried to get food for us both, but the people here are too poor for charity, and no one wants two more mouths to feed. We almost freeze every night. If I keep her with me…we'll surely die…"

Shu could see where this was going. "You're going to abandon her?"

The girl's form jerked, like he had physically struck her.

"I…I must…that couple I saw, they have food most days…surely she'll have a better chance of survival without me…"

"She will survive, maybe. But she will always be without her sister." He spoke from experience on this. There was a certain, special kind of pain from losing a sibling. A special pain from learning of a sibling you didn't remember. A certain loneliness resulted. A certain…betrayal. No matter how good the intentions, or how unintentional the abandonment.

The young soul started to cry again, quietly. Clutching the baby to her chest like she was already begging forgiveness.

'_Shu…'_

He sighed.

'_I know.'_

"If I offered, would you accept my help?"

"I…what?" He could feel her stare of disbelief. Smiled a bit, crooked and sympathetic.

"I had an older sister, too, once. I lost her when I was pretty young…and there was always an emptiness in my life without her. I wouldn't wish that anyone." He explained. "I have a home back in the forest, and food. It won't last forever, but I'm confident I can get more. There's plenty of space, and I'd like the company."

Stunned silence.

"You…you'd really let us stay with you?"

"Well, sure. Though, I'd expect you to work for it. I am blind, so there are things I could use help with. If you run errands for me, I can watch your sister."

'_If they stay with us, we'll need to establish ourselves here.' _Shu commented silently. _'I don't fancy taking a baby on the road.'_

'_Agreed. A stable income…a garden maybe? And you could sell some of that junk the bandits stockpiled.'_

'_Hmm…a possibility.'_

"I-I'll do anything you need!" The girl was eager, now that she was sure the offer was genuine. "I can cut wood, or cook, or clean, or…"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. Smiled again. "I'll take that as a yes then?" He felt her nod, mute with relief and hope. "Great. I never introduced myself, did I? My name is Ouma Shu."

"Thank you, Ouma-san. Really, I can never repay you for this." Her head bowed deeply, since she couldn't bow while sitting and with a baby in her lap.

"I wouldn't say that. And you are?"

Her head lifted. A smile of pure happiness on her lips that he simply knew to be there. "I am Hisana. My sister is Rukia."

**AN:**

_:P_

_You don't even know how long I've been wanting to do that. A. Long. Time._

_Read, Review, yada yada yada...I'm hungry._

_MB_


	5. Four

_**AN: **I feel like I'm busy, yet I haven't done anything for about two days straight. I need to do more things. Like writing. I have ideas and yet...enh. Haven't been in the mood. Good thing I had this on reserve._

_I Doth Not Own Those Not-Owned Things._

**The Void King**

**Four**

Shu liked living with the girls. Hisana was soft spoken and polite, but a hard and willing worker when it came to the continued well-being of her sister. At his direction, she gathered wood from the forest to stockpile for the coming winter, cleaned laundry, and kept the house neat. While she was busy, Shu was carefully going over each of the objects the bandits had piled on the property, determining the relative value and use, sorting and recording them in his head since writing was out of the question. He often did this in the main room of the house, with Rukia sitting in a nest of blankets within reach so he wouldn't have to go very far if she started to fuss. For a baby, she was well behaved, and only rarely made noise outside of the usual pleas for food and diaper changes.

He grew fond of the sisters very quickly. Having people around, feeling normal and peaceful and…almost like a family. He enjoyed it. Inori, too, seemed to like them, or at the very least like that they made him happy. She was helpful for much of his categorizing, and provided a second opinion as he gradually hammered out his plans to support both himself and the girls.

It was a long, drawn out process. His most impressive skill was fighting, but he didn't want to flaunt his power when alive, never mind in death when there were far more dangerous things than people with guns. Plus, to retain his appearance of a harmless, blind and 'lame' soul, he essentially cut himself off from most if not all jobs. In Soul Society, people lived long lives. In that time frame, whatever profit he turned from the bandit's treasures wouldn't last long.

'_What about Apocalypse crystals?'_ Inori suggested as they brainstormed sources of income. _'You absorbed all remnants of the virus, so maybe you can form them yourself now?'_

'_Maybe…though I'm not sure I want virus crystals just floating around in the afterlife…'_

'_All that's left of the virus is part of your soul, Shu. If you don't will it, the crystals won't be anything more than pretty rocks.'_

'_Hmm…'_ She was right, when he thought about it. He'd taken the Apocalypse with him into death, and now all that showed for it was his unique powers. The virus itself was merely a shadow of it's former self, locked to his soul. And it always would be. _'I don't know just how valuable they would be in their raw form, or if anyone would be able to find use for them. Can they even be carved with tools?'_

He always thought of the crystals as almost organic. Flexible when necessary, but strong enough to cut through metal. If he just handed some chunks to a jeweler, would they even be able to make something from it? Would they see it as valuable, despite dubious origins? Considering he would be the only source, they would definitely be rare, but it no one knew what they were or where they came from…

'_Just try it, Shu. See what happens.'_

Right. It couldn't hurt.

'_Maybe if I gave them shape to begin with, that would make them worth more?' _Not weapons, though. He didn't know just how durable any crystals of his making would be, and he had no desire to arm souls with nigh-indestructible weapons of mass murder.

He gave it a shot. Cupped his hands together and concentrated, imagining the form he wanted and letting his experience and Inori's combine to form something otherworldly and unique. He smiled when a cool weight grew in his palms. Carefully held it up for examination with probing fingertips.

'_Ah…it's pretty, Shu. It kind of…glows a bit.'_

He'd made a flower. When trying to think of something attractive enough to pay money for, he thought of Inori's rainbow crystal flower. Something so delicate and beautiful of such an unwieldy looking substance really caught the eye. He was sure that there would be some rich fellow somewhere in this old fashioned place that would buy such a thing. He had doubts about selling it in Inuzuri, where weapons and food were more valuable than trinkets. But even if the outer Districts weren't well supplied, there had to be _some_ way of getting items transported in and out. And if there wasn't, he'd figure something out. Maybe find some souls in need of work and create his own delivery system.

He spent another hour practicing making objects, trying to see how complicated they could get before coming out wrong or just falling apart. He tried changing the shaping itself, toning down the number of angles, and eventually created a perfectly smooth ball not much bigger than an egg. He gave this to Rukia, smiling at her pleased giggles as she rolled the shiny object around in her nest, the colors shifting between blue and purple and black according to the way light hit it.

The more he did it the more confidence he had that this was in fact a good idea. He grew tired of it after a while though, and set the various objects he'd created aside to start on dinner. Hisana arrived shortly after and helped him with it, stoking the fire in the downright medieval stove in the kitchen.

"Hisana, how good would you say you are at haggling?" Shu asked, after they'd sat down to eat. The girl seemed surprised by the question, but answered honestly.

"Okay, I suppose. Before it started getting cold I was able to do a little work for some of the stall owners and get food in return. But now that it's almost winter, there's even less to go around, and people are stockpiling what they have. It really became impossible for someone like me, who's no good at stealing, to live." She grew a bit sullen at that, but relaxed at her sister's cheerful burbles and went back to cleaning bits of rice from the baby's face.

"Well, you'll have plenty of opportunity to get better. I've got most of what's worth selling set aside and the general price of what they're worth. Your new job will be to take them into town and find someone willing to buy them." He explained, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the pile of things he wanted gone and happened to be worth something. Although he couldn't see her expression, he could sense she was a bit surprised.

"Me? You…really trust me to sell your things?"

"Of course. The money isn't just for me, after all." He smiled at her, encouraging. "You know this area better than I do, and you're smart. I know it will still be difficult, especially since you're so young, but I believe you can do it."

Hisana blushed at the praise. "I…thank you, Ouma-san. I-I won't let you down."

Shu smiled some more. Touched the top of her head in the semblance of a pat. "I'm sure you won't."

_**AN:**_

_*Humming Drunken Whaler*_

_Read, Review, Slice His Throat With a Rusty Cleaver._

_MB_


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